Apologia Pro Auctor Suosum: James Joyce

I haven't given this much thought over the years since graduate school, really, but I have some suggestions to make regarding Modern British Literature courses. 

If I were to follow my first instinct in recommending an author for an extended semester-based Modern British Literature course I would choose Joseph Conrad. But since I am going to approach my decision in a rational fashion, I am recommending James Joyce. There are various reasons why I am recommending James Joyce. Primarily, I believe that a strong and insightful study of both the Romantic and Post-Romantic period can be supplemented with the reading of selected chapters of James Joyce's Ulysses.  Even though I would agree that Ulysses can be placed on a level of high reading difficulty,--a separate course could be taught (and often is) on this novel alone--the hardship is worth the effort in the end.  Additionally, the Homeric parallel of the novel adds an aspect of World Literature" to the specific British study.

As a character, Stephen Dedalus makes students reconsider their definitions of hero and protagonist.  As it is evident in many "Modern British Literature" courses, students often have a hard time deciphering Dedalus and his development as a character.  In my personal experience, the character of Stephen Dedalus in James Joyce's Ulysses is one of the most challenging character evaluations I have had to approach in my study of literature.

But not all is a challenge with Ulysses.  The stream of consciousness contents of the novel exposes the students to a technique which, even though not limited to Joyce, is not abundant in modern literature.  Also, Ulysses' aestheticism and artistic details are exquisite. 

Although it is impossible to summon in a brief response all of the reasons why I chose James Joyce's Ulysses, I often think of the epitaph of hardcore Joyce scholars all over the world: "Here lies another lover of literature. He now argues the meaning of Ulysses with God."